Method of forming headed tacks of celluloid or like plastic composition



E. HELM March 2, 193 7.

METHOD OF FORMING HEADED TACKS OF CELLULOID OR LIKE PLASTIC COMPOSITION Filed Oct. 23, 1954 I-NVEmTOR H TORNEY Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF FORMING HEADED TACKS OF CELLULOID OR LIKE PLASTIC COMPOSI- TION 3 Claims.

My invention relates to celluloid headed tacks and the manufacture of the same.

More particularly, my invention is directed to the manufacture of colored celluloid headed tacks and the product thereof.

My process is of particular advantage in utilizing reclaimed photographic film of celluloid or like material.

In general, my invention as carried out in commercial practice comprises treating reclaimed photographic film celluloid, acetyl cellulose and the like to remove the silver nitrate or equivalent employed in photographic practice for light sensitive purposes. After removal of the silver nitrate and/or other foreign substances, the film, after drying, is coated with the desired coloring medium, and upon the drying of the same, the colorapplied film is punched to form cup elements thereof conforming to the heads of tacks of metal or other suitable material.

Preferably, the color medium is disposed on the inner, i. e. under face of the head of the treated film or equivalent material and the punching operation is carried out to dispose the colored medium on the inner, i. e. under face of the punched cupped elements. The application of the cupped elements to tacks may be carried out in any desirable manner, the essentials including the crimping of the flange or skirt of each cup about and under the head of the tack and desirably under elevated temperature conditions.

The punching operation is also carried out preferably under elevated temperature condi- 35 tions, as by heating the punch.

Preferably, a partially headed metal or equivalent tack is employed under my process, the applied celluloid or equivalent material serving to complete the head of the resulting tack 40 product.

Further features and objects of the invention may be fully understood from the following detail description and the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a colored celluloid headed tack embodying my invention, illustrated on an enlarged scale, and made pursuant to my process.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view in vertical ele- 50 vation, showing the successive steps of my process of color treatment and the drying of a reclaimed photographic film.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional elevation on line 33 of Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the indicated 55 arrows, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation on line 44 of Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the indicated arrows, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a treated reclaimed photographic film indicating a number of punchings therefrom.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view, in vertical crosssection, illustrating a form of punch and cup die in the punching treatment of the film, the punch being shown in its elevated, i. e. initial position.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 6, illustrating the stage of a succession of punches.

Fig. 8 is an exploded view of a cup element of color treated celluloid and a partially headed tack.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 8, after the stage of application of the cupped element to the tack.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a preferred form of tack.

Figs. 1, 8, and 9 respectively illustrate a preferred form of the invention, I0 being any type of partially headed tack desired to be coated, H a cap element of celluloid or equivalent material, and preferably bearing its color medium indicated at l2 on its inner face, the flange Ila being crimped about and under, see Figs. 1 and 9, the rear face of the head Illa of the tack II].

By a partially headed tack I include a tack having a head Illa provided at its center with a perforation or other suitable recess and further a stem the free end of which is pointed, and its opposite end extending through such perforation or into such recess in the head, and normally swaged or otherwise treated to form a rigid connection therewith.

A roll of suitable material, preferably celluloid or other substantially transparent cellulose or other suitable material, is employed as the material for completing the head of the tack. For economy, reclaimed film photographic material of celluloid, acetyl cellulose, or the like is employed in the practical manufacture of my invention.

Any suitable method for removing silver nitrate and/or other light sensitive medium from the photographic film may be employed, as by passing the film through a bath of a suitable removing material. Such reclaimed film is indicated at I4, conveniently in roll form, as indicated in Fig. 2.

A suitable procedure of applying a color medium to such transparent material is illustrated in Fig. 2, viz. that the free end I la of the roll I4 is passed, see arrow I5, in suitable cooperative relation with a suitable supply I6 of the color medium, such as a font shown of funnel type, open at its bottom through a slit Ifia of regulatable or predetermined width and length, the path of travel of the film being controlled by the idler I? and the face of the base I8a of the color regulator means I8 relative to the slit Ilia. Essentially the regulator means I8 comprises the base Isa, suitably supported in correlation with the idler H, the means I8 further comprises a plate I81) regulated by adjustable set-screw means ISc, for controlling the clearance between the effective face of the plate IBb and the support 1864 to control the thickness of the deposited color medium I2 upon the upper face of the film I 4a. The thus regulated color medium I2 superposed upon the film la is then passed through the drying oven I 9 or equivalent, to complete the adherence of the color medium I2 upon the film I 4a and to mature the same. Preferably, the transit of the several lengths of the resulting composite strip through the drying oven I9 is had by rollers effectively engaging the film but without disturbance of and without contact with the color medium. A convenient form of such roller is indicated in Fig. 4, namely, comprising cylindrical disks 20, 20, secured to the opposite ends of the cylindrical or other suitably contoured body 2| of lesser diameter, each disk 2% being provided with an outer flange disk 22 for controlling the path of transit of the composite strip. As is shown in Fig. 4, the color medium i2 is deposited upon the film material I ia continuously but spaced from the respective edges, thus providing for the outer edge areas I lb of the film free from deposit of the color medium, and serving to engage the faces of the traction and guide surfaces 20, 20, of the rollers. Such arrangement is of particular advantage in the utilization of reclaimed photographic film which per se is provided with so-called sprocket openings f le located within such areas Mb. By such or equivalent provision of means, the deposit of color medium Ifib is undisturbed, and in addition the guiding and traction faces of the rollers and of the indicated cooperating sprocket wheels 23 are unencumbered by the color medium.

Fig. 3 illustrates in further detail a preferred form of color regulator means, and in particular a plate I81) buoyed by means of coiled expansile springs I811, I3d, located in suitable recesses in the base Isa and engaging opposite ends of the plate I81), and cooperating with a pair of adjusting set screws 80.

The dried and matured celluloid or equivalent material I l-a, bearing on one face the color medium I2 is indicated at Md in Fig. 2 as re-rolled.

Any suitable color medium may be employed. I prefer anilin dyes embodied in suitable vehicles as the color media.

Cup-like elements or equivalent for applications to tacks or the like are derived in any suitable manner. Conveniently, such procedure is carried out by punching the same from the celluloid or equivalent material.

Figs. 5, 6, and '7 indicate a preferred method of punching the treated material, illustrating essentially a punch 24 and cooperating plunger 25 and an associated cupping die 26 formed in the die block 2i, whereby upon completion of the downward movement of the punch 24, compare Fig. 6 with Fig. 7, the color bearing film I2-I4b is perforated substantially circularly conforming to the contour of the punch 24, causing a perforation 28 in the treated color bearing film material. Upon completion of the downward movement of the punch 24, the plunger 25 is then moved downwardly relative to the punch 24, whereby the cup formation II of the punched treated material is formed and forced by the feeder 25 into the circular passage 29 formed in the die block 21, the diameter of the passage 29 being selected to provide for the desired extent of the flange II of the thus successively formed cup-shaped elements II. Upon successive punchings and cup formations, such cup shaped elements II accumulate in the passage 29 and are eventually discharged therefrom.

The resulting cup elements I I are then fed individually in proper relation to individual tacks, indicated in Fig. 8, to effect the reception of the tack head Illa within a cup element I I, whereupon its flange Ha is crimped, preferably under increased temperature conditions, about the periphery and in pressure engagement with and about the head Illa, the resulting crimped flange being indicated at Na in Fig. 9.

Among the advantages attained by my invention, and in particular the disposing of the color medium, usually a lacquer, on the inner face of the head enveloping material, is the protection of the color medium from fracture as when a hammer or other tool is employed to drive the tack, protection from fading or other discoloration arising from contact with chemicals, household goods of acid, alkali or other chemical effect, etc., and from abrasion due to wear or other physical contact with other objects. My product is of particular utility in the use of a wholly or partially, i. e., effectively transparent or translucent covering material through which the color medium is visible.

Fig. 10 illustrates a preferred form of tack 30, the head of which is provided with colored or color bearing medium similarly as above set forth, like reference numbers designating like parts, the body 3I of the shank of the tack being of square or other polygonal cross-section and preferably tapered convergently downwardly toward the tip, the tip 32 of the shank being preferably convergently conically tapered. Such shank formation affords, as will be apparent, a locking of the applied head covering material against rotative displacement, also facilitates ready insertion with minimum force of application, and maximum adherence of the body of the shank upon insertion, arising jointly by reason of the polygonal section of the shank and its tapered formation.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The process of forming headed tacks having color embodying cellulose material applied about the head of such tacks, which comprises reclaiming photographic cellulose material in web form, applying the desired color upon solely one face of such web, dieing cup-shaped portions from such web, applying such cup-shaped portions individually about the heads of such tacks with the color applied face immediately adjacent the respective heads of such tacks, and crimping the respective flanges of such cup-shaped portions under the respective heads of such tacks.

2. A tack having a head bearing a colored cellulose material, the color of such cellulose material being applied solely upon one face of such material, the color-applied face of such material being disposed immediately adjacent the head of the tack.

3. A tack having a head bearing a colored cellulose material, the color of such cellulose material being applied solely upon one face of such material, the color-applied face of such material being disposed immediately adjacent the head of the tack, such colored cellulose material being crimped under the head of the tack.

ERIC HELM. 

